It is not for the blind of course, but as yet no meters have come. I only
have electricity too. The message in my last post to this thread was mostly
gleaned from others who did manage to get smart meters installed. Apparently
in a couple of years the existing main and economy 7 meters will be at end
of life and will need refurbishing, and I suspect that will be when I will
get offered the great smart meter with talking had controller that eats
batteries.
Brian

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"jon" wrote in message ...
On Thu, 04 Feb 2021 08:24:52 +0000, Peter James wrote:

Two years ago, my then Gas and Electricity supplier "Eon" asked me to
install new smart meters. They told me of the wonderful benefits to me
that would entail, and when taking a line from this NG I refused they
screamed, wheedled,
had a tizzy fit and sat in a corner and sulked. Eventually when in a
subtle and toneless way they threatened me with unknown financial
consequence I succumbed.
Ten days later they fitted the meters, gas and electric, and as the
fitter left promised me that nirvana had arrived for me and the future
was fantastic.

Five days later a man arrived to read the meters. "What do you need to
do that for" said I "they are smart meters aren't they" "Yes they are"
said he, "and they need to be read". Using the tone of voice that said
non-technical elderly idiots like me, should sit in the corner and drool
and let the world get on with it.

On two occasions I was requested to send photographs of the meters to
sort out "anomolies" that had unfortunately arisen with these wonderful,
state of the art meters.

Last October I changed suppliers to "PurePlanet" who last month
requested two meter readings, to sort out "anomolies" I assumed. I sent
them and made a mistake, which they asked me to correct using
photographs of the meter readings. Why can't you get them direct I
asked in all innocence, because they're not working they replied. Also
they said, your gas meter is not a smart meter, and we can't get
readings from it or the electric meter.

Now I'm 83 years of age, and grovelling around on my knees to take
photographs of so-called smart meters set two feet off the floor, is not
top of my priorities. But, girding my loins I got to my knees on two
occasions and took two photographs of each of my wonderful, state of the
art, smart meters. One of the electronic output display and a full view
of the whole meter for identification purposes. I sent them off and
told my supplier that would be the last time I did this for them. Any
future "anomalies" they could sort out by sending a meter reader around
to read these wonderful state of the art, etc, etc f---ing smart
meters.

And so the matter now rests. The moral of the story children is this,
that when the nice man asks you if you would like a nice smart meter,
kick him in the balls and run away and tell a policeman.

Peter

Thanks Peter, I have been aware of the shortcomings of smart meters for
some time. As a consequence I will not have one fitted. I take readings
every week and enter those into a spreadsheet and send monthly totals to
my Electricity supplier. No gas here so quite straight forward.